Vulnerable
by CelesteMacFarlane
Summary: "You like him, don't you?" Piper had asked out of nowhere as they were walking to the Big House together. Him being Leo, of course. Oneshot.


Jason liked to watch Leo build things. To see Leo's hands move so fast, tinkering with this and that, assembling and disassembling various things. It was interesting to watch. While Leo built things, the two liked to talk. Talk about people at Camp Jupiter that Jason knew, talk about what the camp was like, Gaea. The truth was that Jason liked to spend time watching Leo build things because it let him spend more time with his friend.

Sigh. That was all he and Leo would ever be. Friends.

Everyone at camp saw Jason and Piper as the couple. Yes, Jason liked Piper at first, but as time grew, he realized that who he truly liked and that person was Leo. The two had dated for a while, three months, but it all ended when Piper finally noticed Jason's feelings for Leo.

"You like him, don't you?" Piper had asked out of nowhere as they were walking to the Big House together.

Him being Leo, of course.

Jason really didn't know how to answer. He didn't want to hurt Piper's feelings, the the last thing he would ever want to do, but he couldn't deny his feelings for Leo to her. It was no use lying. Considering from the look on her face and her tone, she knew.

"Yes," Jason admitted, feeling as though a weight was lifted off of his chest. "I do, Piper. I'm sorry."

The two were quiet for a while, having abruptly stopped walking when Piper asked Jason the question. Jason found that he couldn't really read Piper's expression and that scared him. Jason loved her as though she were a sister to him. He didn't want anything to ruin their friendship.

"I've noticed the way you look at him. Across the Dining Pavilion, at the campfire… anyone with eyes could see how much you love him." Piper said, her eyes trained on the ground, the sky, the trees. Anywhere else but Jason's eyes.

Jason bit his lip, trying to figure out what to say. I'm sorry didn't seem fitting. He was sorry, with every inch of his body, but I'm sorry almost seemed insulting, in a way.

Yeah, sorry you had to find out this way, Pipes.

Jason closed his eyes, exhaling. He really didn't know what to say. Turns out, he didn't have to say anything. Piper took his hand, not in a romantic way, but a friendly, comforting way, in hers, and once Jason opened his eyes, he could see that she was smiling. "Go get him, Sparky."

That was nearly two weeks ago now. Everyone at camp knew of Jason and Piper's break up, everyone but, ironically enough, Leo. Funny how their break up was the center of gossip for the past two weeks, probably would be for at least another month. Leo really didn't get out much, though. The only time he really came out was to eat and at the campfires. Then, he was off to work, work being making the fantastic vessel that was to be called the Argo II that would transport them to Rome and Greece.

Occasionally, Leo took a break, taking a stroll around camp to clear his head and gather his thoughts. And so no one thought he was insane. Well, so no one thought that Leo was even more insane than he already was.

All these thoughts and more ran through Jason's head as he watched Leo disassemble a Wii controller. What it would be for, Jason had no idea. Much to Jason's embarrassment, he was staring at Leo. He blushed when Leo asked him, "Jason, dude, you alright?"

"Something like that," he mumbled. Leo looked at his friend with concern, setting down the device. The look on his face made Jason get butterflies in his stomach.

"Come on, you can tell me, man. Problems with some campers or something?"

Jason blinked, trying to figure out what to say. Being around Leo made him nervous. More nervous than a five year-old going to kindergarten for the first time. Stupidly, Jason clutched his stomach as if that would help contain his butterflies.

"Jase, you okay? Seriously, you're worrying me." Leo panicked, grabbing his friend's shoulder. The contact almost made Jason fall out of his chair. That was it. It was too much. Leo had actually touched him.

"Fine, fine," Jason struggled, his voice garbled and strained. "Sorry, it's just… it's Piper."

Leo frowned, seeming a bit… jealous, was it? Was Leo Valdez actually jealous of Piper McLean?

"What about Pipes, Jason?"

"It's just… well… we broke up."

Leo had resumed to playing with his Wii controller, but he didn't exactly look all that interested. When Jason told the son of Hephaestus that he and Piper had called it quits, Leo dropped his controller and burst into flames. It took him a few seconds to get in control of himself. Jason wondered if his eyebrows were singed off from the sudden explosion from the guy.

"You… broke up?"

Jason looked away from Leo, worried what his expression would be. "Yeah, yeah. W-we did." Jason swallowed hard, his case of butterflies acting up even more. He loved to hate the way Leo made him feel: vulnerable.

"How long ago?"

"Two weeks," Jason replied.

"_Two weeks_? And you didn't tell me?"

"Well, you were so busy and…" Jason didn't finish his sentence. He didn't want to finish his thought. Well you were so busy and I didn't want to tell you the truth; that I like you.

"… Oh. Is it alright if I ask why?" Leo whispered. Jason could feel Leo's eyes burning into his skull. The son of Jupiter did not dare to look up.

"Sure." He replied carefully.

"Why did you two break up?"

Do it, Jason. Just say it. Tell Leo that you like him.

"Because… because… I like you! Piper saw it and, just… yeah, I like you." Jason blurted out. He looked up to see Leo's reaction: disgust, shock, rejection. Jason's heart had climbed into his throat. He thought he would throw up.

But the thing that Jason certainly had not expected was for Leo to press his lips against his own. They were warm and soft and tasted like cherries. Jason immediately kissed Leo back though, something he had wanted to do for quite some time now.

When Leo finally pulled away, which was to only get some air, he smiled endearingly. Jason's butterflies were acting up. Leo was just so cute when he smiled like that. He resisted the urge to kiss Leo again. It took all the strength he had not to, but he succeeded.

"Why did you do that?" Jason asked, smiling. He couldn't help it. Leo had just kissed him. Him. Today was probably the best day of his life.

"Something I wanted to do for a while now," Leo said with a shrug. "And right then seemed perfect. So you like me, huh Jason Grace?"

Jason couldn't help it any longer. He grabbed Leo's face and kissed him hard. Leo kissed him back without a moment's hesitation. When Jason pulled away, he asked the son of Hephaestus, "Did that answer your question, Leo Valdez?"

Leo grinned, kissing Jason back. It probably went on like this forever, kissing each other back and it is safe to assume it did.


End file.
